Our Shared Mission

Boise, Idaho

Yesterday morning, God reminded our band of brothers once again why our presence here in Idaho this week is so important. Chad Prigmore, our ministry partner, introduced us to his people — those who live on the streets of Boise. One older man in particular touched my heart. When Chad stopped to ask him how he was doing, the gray-bearded man started to weep.

I leaned forward to listen to his halting reply. The old man told Chad that he was afraid because another homeless man had threatened to kill him. The threat had rattled the old man. He truly believed his life was in danger. I could sense and see the fear in his eyes. He looked like a little boy who was lost and alone with no one to turn to for help.

Many who exist in the ragged margins of society live in anxious fear of something — things like where their next meal will come from, what they will do if the weather turns bad, if someone will take advantage of them. These are but a few of the ghosts that haunt them daily. One man to whom Chad and his partner Doug minister to understands what it means to be afraid. Someone got angry at him and impaled his skull with a claw hammer.

Chad and Doug have given their lives to help those who live in fear every day. They have become champions for the homeless, the addicted, and the marginalized. They serve the least of these in our western caste system — those who live in the shadowy world of our peripheral vision. They know the names and the stories of those who hold the cardboard signs on streets corners and those who never venture beyond the shadows of back alleys.

We spent the entire day working at the house that will become a home for another dozen men who need a hand up. Some of these men worked beside us and shared with us their stories. The home we are working on represents a safe haven to them, a place where their fears are mitigated by the encouragement they receive. They are learning the value of living in community and lending hope to one another.

God is also using the experience of this shared mission to strengthen our band of brothers. We worked hard all day because we know what our labor means to those we have come to serve. Every man on our team went above and beyond and performed their assigned tasks with excellence. We are not only seeing progress on the house, but sensing how God is deepening our bonds with one another. God is using hammers and paint brushes and tools as vehicles to strengthen our relationships and hearts.

We have one more day to finish what we came here to do. We will dedicate the ministry home to the Lord on Friday evening, presenting it to Him as a place where men will find faith, hope, and love. The pressure is on to finish our task. I can hardly wait for the sun to come up in the morning as we continue our shared mission.

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Responses

Great work. I have recently been considering and praying about the fears that the homeless face, since a particular young homeless man has struck my attention and my heart. I have pondered how God takes care of us even through the prayers of others. He knows our plight and makes provision for us.

I am thankful for the work Chad and Doug are doing. They have become God’s provision for those most in need. I pray the men they minister to will trust the Lord so their greatest fears may be calmed by his hand and they may be protected under his wing.